Forging machine

ABSTRACT

A forging machine for reducing the cross section area of a workpiece which is positioned on the forging axis of the machine, i.e., the direction of travel of the workpiece through the machine. Four, forging saddles are arranged at intervals around the forging axis, a driving mechanism for each forging saddle and arranged to impart a thrust through its forging saddle in a lateral direction with respect to the forging axis. A guiding arm is associated with each driving mechanism an forging saddle for guiding the thrust of the forging saddle, each guiding arm being inclined at an angle to the direction of thrust of its associated forging saddle and being pivotally mounted about an axle which is parallel to the forging axis. Each forging saddle is adjustably connected to its guiding arm so that its position relative to the guiding arm can be adjusted either parallel to or transversely of the direction of thrust of the forging saddle. This arrangement enables the cross-sectional area of forged bars produced in such a machine to be adjusted.

I United States Patent [151 3,657,916 Pahnke [4 1 Apr. 25, 1972 [54] FORGIN G MACHINE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [72] inventor: Hans Jochim Pahnke, Dusseldorf-Nerd, 449,558 9/1927 Germany ..72/453 Germany [73] Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Sack GmbH, Dusseldorfjg gfg gg zygl gg gx' gggy Germany Attorney-McGlew and Toren [22] Filed: Feb. 3, 1970 [5 7] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.-: 8,242 I A forging machine for reducing the cross section area of a workpiece which is positionedon the forging axis of the Foreign Application Dam machine, i.e., the direction of travel of the workpiece through Feb. 20, 1969 Germany ..P 19 08 362.6 the machine 59"" fining ,safidles are *F intervls around the forging axis, a driving mechanism for each forging 52] us. Cl 12/ 99, 72/447 l q g 19 m y? r gs w a i- [51] Int. Cl. ..B2lj 13/02 a a i respec e orgmg f {58] Field of Search ..72/399, 402,452, 453,446, guldfng arm l F wllh each dmmg meclamsm 72/447 448 forging saddle for guiding the thrust of the forging saddle, each guiding arm being inclined at an angle to the direction of thrust of its associated forging saddle and being pivotally [56] References Cited mounted about an axle which is arallel to the for ing axis.

P 8 UNITED STATES PATENTS Each forging saddle is adjustably connected to its guiding arm so that its position relatlve to the guiding arm can be ad usted 3,473,565 1 1/1969 Schenk "72/399 either parallel to or transversely of the direction of thrust of 3,453,914 7/1969 Lemperm "Mn/447 the forging saddle. This arrangement enables the cross-sec- 1,437,024 2/1922 Schu "72/448 tional area of forged bars produced in such a machine to be 1,480,077 l/l924 Johnson... .....72/402 adjusteci 3,263,478 8/1966 Brauer 72/402 3,451,249 6/1969 Sharon ..72/402 3 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure PATENTEBAPR 25 I972 3. 657', 916

In ven (or: Hans-309mm Momma nrro-nusvs This invention relates to forging machines for reducing the cross-sectional area of a workpiece which is positioned on the forging axis of the machine, the machine comprising four forging saddles arranged at intervals around the forging axis, a driving mechanism for each forging saddle and arranged to impart a thrust to its forging saddle in a lateral direction with respect to the forging axis, and a guiding arm associated with each driving mechanism and forging saddle for guiding the thrust of the forging saddle, each guiding arm being inclined at an angle to the direction of thrust of its associated forging saddle and being pivotally mounted about an axle which is parallel to the forging axis.

In the operation of forging machines of this kind it is possible, using the same forging machine, to produce forged workpieces having a polygonal cross section, and having different ratios between the lengths of the sides. In other words, the machine is adjustable to give forged products having different side ratios. This is obtained by having the axle of each guiding arm adjustable in position transversely with respect to itself and to the forging axis. By suitably adjusting the positions of the guiding arm axles it is possible to produce forged bars with cross-sectional side ratios which differ in a desired manner. The most usual arrangement has four forging saddles arranged at 90 intervals around the forging axis and produces rectangular sectioned forged bars. By adjusting the axle portions of the guiding arms, the side ratios of the rectangular bars are adjusted.

However, this method of adjustment is awkward and makes the machine fairly complex. With the aim of providing a machine in which the ratios of the sides of a forged workpiece can be adjusted more easily, according to the present invention, in a forging machine of the kind described each forging saddle is connected'to its guiding arm so that it is adjustable in position relative to the guiding arm.

Preferably alternate forging saddles are each adjustable in position relative to its guiding arm in a direction parallel to its direction of thrust, andthe or each intermediate forging saddle is adjustable in position relative to its guiding arm transversely with respect to its direction of thrust.

With this arrangement in a machine with four forging saddles adapted to produce forged bars with rectangular cross sections, when the machine is initially adjusted to produce forged bars with a square cross section and it is then desired to readjust the machine to produce a forged bar with a rectangular section having a particular desired side ratio, all that is necessary is to advance the first and third forging saddles towards each other and the middle of the machine, that is to say each in the direction of its forging thrust, and to move the second and fourth forging saddles correspondingly in opposite directions to each other and transversely across the direction of the forging thrust of these saddles. Adjusting the first and third forging saddles towards each other produces the longer sides of the rectangular sectioned forged bar, and adjusting the second and fourth forging saddles produces the shorter sides.

Preferably each forging saddle is adjusted relative to its corresponding guiding arm by means which is mounted on the guiding arm, and this means preferably includes a screw threaded spindle. Alternatively however, other mechanical adjustment means may be used, for example wedges or eccentries.

lf screw threaded spindles are used for providing adjustment, then in the case where alternate forging saddles are adjusted in directions parallel to the directionsof their forging thrusts each spindle preferably works in a rotary, internally threaded bushwhich is mounted on the guiding arm so that it .is rotatable but not axially movable relative to the guiding arm, the bush being rotatably driven by a motor through a bevel gear drive to cause the spindle to move. axially and thus adjust the position of the forging saddle.

In the case where the intermediate forging saddles are adjusted in directions transversely of the directions of their forging thrusts, each spindle is preferably mounted in a forked end piece forming the free end of the corresponding guiding arm,

the forked end piece having bearing surfaces which slideably support a transverse flange of the forging saddle, and the screw threaded adjustment spindle working in an internally threaded transverse drilling in a projection of the forging saddle which projects into the forked end piece, the outer end of the screw threaded adjustment spindle being rotatably driven by a motor through a straight gear drive to cause the forging saddle to move transversely.

An example of a forging machine in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a plan of the machine with parts shown in section to illustrate more detail.

The forging machine shown in the drawing has four forging saddles l, 2, 3, 4 arranged at intervals around the path followed through the machine by a workpiece 5. This path is called the forging axis. Each of the forging saddles has a drive comprising a hydraulic cylinder and a forging piston. The cylinders are shown in the drawing at 6, 7, 8, 9, and are pivoted to the machine frame 14 about pivot axles 10, l1, 12, 13 respectively. The forging pistons are shown at 15, 16, 17, 18, and when hydraulic pressure is applied to their cylinders they drive the forging saddles 1, 2, 3, 4, in towards the middle of the machine, i.e., the forging axis, squashing the workpiece 5 to give it a smaller cross-sectional area. The forging movement of the saddles is guided by four guiding arms 19, 20, 21, 22, each of which is inclined at an angle to the direction of thrust of the respective forging saddle l, 2, 3, 4. The guiding arms 19, 20, 21, 22 are pivoted respectively about pivot axles 23, 24, 25, 26 which extend parallel to the direction of advance of the workpiece 5, i.e., the forging axis. This axis extends perpendicularly to the plane of the drawing.

Suppose that the forging machine is adjusted to produce from the workpiece 5 a forged bar of square cross section, as represented in the drawing, and that it is now desired to produce a bar of rectangular cross section, i.e., with a side ratio other than 1 1. For this purpose the forging saddles 1 and 2 are adjusted in position in the direction of the arrow 27. The forging saddles 3 and 4, on the other hand, are adjusted in position in the opposite direction, that is to say in the direction of the arrow 28. This adjustment of the position of the forging saddles 1, 2, 3, 4 is made possible by adjustable connections between the forging saddles and their corresponding guiding arms. Each forging saddle is connected to its guiding arm through an adjustment device fitted at the free end of the guiding arm. The four adjustment devices are arranged in such a way that the two forging saddles 1, 3 can be adjusted in position, relative to their guiding arms 19, 21, in directions parallel to the direction of the forging thrust of these two saddles, that is to say towards and away from the forging axis of the machine. The other two forging saddles 2, 4, on the other hand, are adjustable in position relative to their guiding arms 20, 22, transversely with respect to the directions of the forging thrust of these two saddles.

The adjustment devices for the two forging saddles 1,3 consist, in each case, of a rotary, internally threaded bush 29, capable of rotating about its axis in the end of its guiding arm 19, 21, but not capable of moving axially in the end of the guiding arm. In each rotary bush 29 there works an externally threaded spindle 30 to the inner end of which there is fixed the forging saddle 1,3. The rotary bush 29 is supported axially by a thrust plate 31 forming the thrust face of the forging piston 15, 17 of the hydraulic cylinder 6, 8. The rotary bush 29 is rotatably driven by a positioning motor 33, through a bevel gear drive 32. 7

On the other hand, in the case of the adjustment devices for the other two forging saddles 2, 4, the connection between each forging saddle and its guiding arm is constructed as follows. Each of these two adjustment devices consists of a forked end piece 34, forming the free end of the guiding arm 20, 22. The forging saddle 2, 4 has an axial extension 35 which projects into the interior of the fork 34. An externally threaded adjustment spindle 36 works in an internally threaded drilling in the extension 35 of the forging saddle 2, 4. The outer end of the adjustment spindle 36 is rotatably driven by a positioning motor 39 through a straight gear drive 38.

As already mentioned, adjustment in position of the four forging saddles l, 2, 3, 4, relative to their guiding arms, allows a forged bar to be produced with a rectangular cross section of a desired side ratio. To produce a bar of any desired side radio all that is necessary is to operate the positioning motors 33, 39 so that drive is applied to the adjustment spindles 30, 36 through the gear drives 32, 38 with the result that the forging saddles are adjusted in position accordingly.

However, it is still within the frame of the present invention that, if desired, instead of adjustment spindles as in the present example, other kinds of mechanical adjustment devices, for example wedges or eccentrics, can be used. Also the forging saddles may be adjusted in position in pairs, for example the two adjustment spindles 30, 36 of the two neighboring forging saddles l, 2, (3, 4) can be actuated synchronously by a common positioning motor.

I claim:

1. A forging machine for reducing the cross-sectional area of a workpiece, said machine comprising means defining a predetermined path for the workpiece to travel through said machine, said path being called the forging axis, four forging saddles positioned at intervals around said forging axis, a

machine support frame, a driving mechanism for each forging saddle and for imparting a thrust to said forging saddle in a lateral direction with respect to said forging axis, means mounting each of said driving mechanisms on said machine support frame, a guiding arm associated with each driving mechanism and forging saddle for guiding said thrust of said forging saddle, adjustable connection means connecting each forging saddle to one end of its associated guiding arm whereby said forging saddle is adjustable in position relative to said guiding arm, axle means for each guiding arm mounted on said machine support frame and extending parallel to said forging axis, means pivotally mounting each guiding arm on its axle means at its end remote from said forging saddle, each of said guiding arms being inclined at an angle to the direction of the thrust of its associated forging saddle, said adjustable con- 1 nection means of alternate forging saddles to their guiding arms enable each alternate forging saddle to be adjustable in position relative to its guiding arm in a direction parallel to its direction of thrust, and wherein said adjustable connections for the intermediate forging saddles to their guiding arms enable each of said intermediate forging saddles to be adjustable in position relative to its guiding arm transversely with respect to its direction of thrust.

2. A forging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said adjustable connection means connecting alternate forging saddles to their guiding arms whereby each of said alternate forging saddles is adjustable relative to its guiding ann in a direction parallel to the direction of thrust of said forging saddle comprises a screw threaded spindle mounted on said forging saddle, a rotary internally threaded bush engageable with said screw threaded spindle, means mounting said rotary internally threaded bush on said guiding arm whereby said bush is rotatable but not axially movable relative to said guiding arm, a motor for rotatably driving said internally threaded bush, and bevel gear means drivingly connecting said motor to said internally threaded bush, whereby said spindle is caused to move axially to adjust the position of said forging saddle when said motor rotates said internally threaded bush through said bevel gear mechanism.

3. A forging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said adjustable connection means which is associated with a forging saddle which is adjustable in position relative to its guiding arm transversely with respect to a direction of the forging thrust of said forging saddle comprises a forked end piece forming the free end of the associated guiding arm, transverse flange means on said forging saddle, bearing surfaces on said forked end piece slidablysu porting said transverse flange means, a pro ection on sald orging saddle projecting into said forked end piece, means defining an internally threaded drilling in said projection, a screw threaded spindle engageably mounted in said forked end piece and engaging in said internally threaded drilling, a motor mounted on said guiding arm for driving said screw threaded spindle, and a straight gear mechanism drivingly connecting said motor and said screw threaded spindle whereby rotation of said screw threaded spindle by said motor causes said forging saddle to move transversely. 

1. A forging machine for reducing the cross-sectional area of a workpiece, said machine comprising means defining a predetermined path for the workpiece to travel through said machine, said path being called the forging axis, four forging saddles positioned at intervals around said forging axis, a machine support frame, a driving mechanism for each forging saddle and for imparting a thrust to said forging saddle in a lateral direction with respect to said forging axis, means mounting each of said driving mechanisms on Said machine support frame, a guiding arm associated with each driving mechanism and forging saddle for guiding said thrust of said forging saddle, adjustable connection means connecting each forging saddle to one end of its associated guiding arm whereby said forging saddle is adjustable in position relative to said guiding arm, axle means for each guiding arm mounted on said machine support frame and extending parallel to said forging axis, means pivotally mounting each guiding arm on its axle means at its end remote from said forging saddle, each of said guiding arms being inclined at an angle to the direction of the thrust of its associated forging saddle, said adjustable connection means of alternate forging saddles to their guiding arms enable each alternate forging saddle to be adjustable in position relative to its guiding arm in a direction parallel to its direction of thrust, and wherein said adjustable connections for the intermediate forging saddles to their guiding arms enable each of said intermediate forging saddles to be adjustable in position relative to its guiding arm transversely with respect to its direction of thrust.
 2. A forging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said adjustable connection means connecting alternate forging saddles to their guiding arms whereby each of said alternate forging saddles is adjustable relative to its guiding arm in a direction parallel to the direction of thrust of said forging saddle comprises a screw threaded spindle mounted on said forging saddle, a rotary internally threaded bush engageable with said screw threaded spindle, means mounting said rotary internally threaded bush on said guiding arm whereby said bush is rotatable but not axially movable relative to said guiding arm, a motor for rotatably driving said internally threaded bush, and bevel gear means drivingly connecting said motor to said internally threaded bush, whereby said spindle is caused to move axially to adjust the position of said forging saddle when said motor rotates said internally threaded bush through said bevel gear mechanism.
 3. A forging machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said adjustable connection means which is associated with a forging saddle which is adjustable in position relative to its guiding arm transversely with respect to a direction of the forging thrust of said forging saddle comprises a forked end piece forming the free end of the associated guiding arm, transverse flange means on said forging saddle, bearing surfaces on said forked end piece slidably supporting said transverse flange means, a projection on said forging saddle projecting into said forked end piece, means defining an internally threaded drilling in said projection, a screw threaded spindle engageably mounted in said forked end piece and engaging in said internally threaded drilling, a motor mounted on said guiding arm for driving said screw threaded spindle, and a straight gear mechanism drivingly connecting said motor and said screw threaded spindle whereby rotation of said screw threaded spindle by said motor causes said forging saddle to move transversely. 